Making Radiation Visible: The Evolution of Cherenkov Imaging

Brian Pogue, PhD, Robert A. Pritzker Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Dartmouth and president and co-founder of DoseOptics, traces the evolution of Cherenkov imaging from early experiments using scientific-grade cameras to the development of BeamSite, a clinical system that enables real-time visualization during external beam radiation therapy.

Detecting Cherenkov light presents an extraordinary technical challenge. By the time the signal reaches a camera, it can be billions of times weaker than the surrounding room light. Through time-gated image acquisition synchronized with LINAC pulses, advanced image processing and years of research, the DoseOptics team developed a way to capture this faint signal while the treatment-room lights remain on.

Today, BeamSite gives clinical teams a real-time view of beam delivery on the patient’s surface, offering an additional opportunity to recognize unexpected delivery, evaluate positioning and support safer treatment.

Watch the presentation to discover how groundbreaking research in Cherenkov imaging evolved into a practical tool for radiation oncology.